This morning after the tlc spend a week in the garage without use, it started to make a buzzer sound, the indicator light appeared for a second (A/TP) light went ON but when I re-started the engine the light went off and the buzzer is still present. I checked all vital components and all fluids are normal. There is nothing wrong with the vehicle and there are NO active lights in the instrument panel either the only thing that won't quit is the annoying buzzing sound.

Does anyone know what might be the problem? I have driven it in all modes already. I have checked page 97 on the Owners manual

Any luck in finding out information about hooking up an ipod/SAT? I have tried RF and cassette for my ipod-both were failures. I have an 03 LC with Nav.Monster has a unit you replace the disc changer with but I am told that it does not work in LC with Nav.I am curious if you have found a solution.

Sorry to bother folks but I have a problem I'm unable to solve....... My 92 TLC FJ80 is eating alternators, factory and rebuilt, replaced batteries and positive and ground cables, had a recall modification done by the dealer that changes a wire gauge on the fuel pump relay block and the vehicle ran fine for a year or two. Now I have went through a couple of interstate batteries, two optima's a yellow top and a red top and 4 alternators. The extreme low power seems to be eating my accessories also such as the rear heater , a couple of blower fans for the AC . I have tried to follow all the electrics by hand looking for a worn or broken wire or lose connection, One mechanic added a ground from the alternator to the body yet the alternators just keep dying.........

The body and interior are perfect on this ride and I got it cheap and really like it so selling is not something I want to do yet I'm close to tossing in the towel on this one.

I did replace every fuse, and when I saw that the ECM used a 75 fuze I noted that there was no fuse there ? Possible that this used TLC was rigged to sell yet such a thing would have shown up in a shorter time I believe as I stated this all started a few years after I purchased it .......

I am headed to the dealer in the next few days to get the diognestic service to see if they can give me an answer yet I figured's I'd ask here first...... thanks !

I replaced my alternator with a rebuilt version (for a Fj80 (1991)) two or three years ago and had no problem, so I cannot help. But it appears that the useful life of an alternator is about 12 years on the evidence.

If the alternator is fresh and the battery is fresh, if you suspect a grounding issue, it's not uncommon. The alternator casing should be grounded via a #4 cable DIRECTLY to the battery negative post. Typically, the alternator is connected to the bracket, bracket to block, block to chassis, and chassis to battery negative. So dumb it defies logic. Check resistance on the negative cable, and the positive cable. Make sure the lugs are compression crimped and soldered as well. You might locate a competent auto-electrical shop in your town. I would think that within a couple of hours, the problem could be identified and sorted out.

I'll give it a once over check the cable andc..... I'm not sure theres a ground off the alternator to the positive post but did add one to the body.... but if not will add or repair..... I'm a tinkerer by trade and my claim to fame is to know when to stop and ask before I muck something up .

It's a great vehicle and has never given me grief cept what I discussed in my first post.

Agree...I think it's a grounding issue as Mobiweld has stated . I have a 88 4X ToyTruck that has 200K Plus miles and original alternator. When I went through a few factory and rebuilt alternators I was putting my hammermonkeys kids through a semester at school with the costs.....

Ok Mobiweld I added a new ground from the engine to the frame and from the alternator to the negitive post , AWG#4 cable w/ soldered and crimped cable . The alternator is still overcharging at 15 vs what I suspect is supposed to be about 12.5-13.5......at 2000rpms. When I let off the rpms the amp gauge drops really low....

The battery is cooking, new about three months interstate and when I popped the caps the electrolyte was low . I topped that off with some distilled water.

My question is this.... Is the internal regulator on the FJ80 (1992) ECM controlled ?

I have popped the battery cables overnight to let the ECM reset if it does such with no joy. Gremlin still is present.

I hate to drop coin on a new ECM yet I have traced every wire I can, checked for corrosion , continuity etc and still am at the point mentioned in the first of this reply.

All good grounds, new ones added, new alternator and battery, overcharging and cooking accessories like rear heater, AC fan motor etc etc .....

It's an internally regulated alternator and it seems be overcharging slightly which means that it's likely a "sense" issue. In other words, the regulator "reads" the battery and will set the charging rate based on that read. If the "sense" is reading .5v less than actual battery voltage due to a corroded connection or resistance, then it's going to overcharge to try to bring the battery up to 14.5v, or wherever the voltage regulator setpoint is. Focus on the sense connection. The sense connection should read actual battery voltage, less maybe .02 of a volt for resistance. My guess is you'll ready .05 to .08 of a volt less than battery which would then explain the 15v+ output from the alternator. See the following link for regulator info: http://www.wai-wetherill.com/products/partimage.cfm?wai_num=IN235

What I did this after noon was try a new eye on the problem with a toy tech in Pampa TX. We discovered it's undercharging at idle and as we discussed earlier overcharging at speed........

Being a self proclaimed idgit in anything short of the basics in the area of troubleshooting electrics I'll print out your helpful info and give it to him in the AM. He was gonna call the tech reps in Houston in the morning so I gave him my number an am in wait mode. He was concerned about three phases of the internal regulator suspecting two were not playing properly.I really appreciate you taking the time to help me....Steak and cold cervesa at the Big Texan is on me for you and your tribe should ya pass through the Panhandle of Texas.Stay safe and thanks for the link , I'll go read it .......

This morning after the tlc spend a week in the garage without use, it started to make a buzzer sound, the indicator light appeared for a second (A/TP) light went ON but when I re-started the engine the light went off and the buzzer is still present. I checked all vital components and all fluids are normal. There is nothing wrong with the vehicle and there are NO active lights in the instrument panel either the only thing that won't quit is the annoying buzzing sound.

Does anyone know what might be the problem? I have driven it in all modes already. I have checked page 97 on the Owners manual

I am considering purchasing an older model (mid-late 90's) LC with high miles because I have heard so much about how they hardly ever need maintenance and will run 250000 miles plus. I plan to keep it long term. My concern is the gas/maint costs. Are these expensive vehicles to own? Do they normally require much maintenance? I would love to hear from long time owners.

I have a 1991 Fj80 purchased in 1990 right after I saw the (then) new model at the New York Auto Show.....now up to 122,000. It is a bit heavy on front brakes and gas (but only needs 87) but compared to other cars I have owned/own Volvos/BMWs for 20+ years - this car is very low maintenance and is low cost insurance-wise as well. My one recommendation is that you replace the front bumper with a non-winch ARB which you can get for around $600. A fender bender gave me the opportunity of putting on an ARB instead of a replacement bumper @ $3500+

My Fj80 is still in great shape and looks like new; the engine has got many many miles left on it. I have seen these things clock up huge mileage in Australia and Africa - I expect to keep mine for another 15 years at least (as indicators just check out how many of the earlier FJs are still going strong). A major replacement item on the horizon for me would appear to be the catalytic converrtor/exhaust system..........but as my only fixed cost is $500 a year (insurance) I can cover the spread! Right now owing to the high cost of gas its a great time to pick up a low cost LC. The long useful life/low maintenance on these machines isnt priced into the resale values ........and when gas gets back to $1.50 (I can't wait for these hedge fund clowns to lose their shirts) you will be in clover.

Gas cost is pretty easy to estimate. Estimate out how many miles you drive a year. Your mileage will probably range from 12 to 18 mpg. Estimate gas cost (seems to be running $2.50 at the moment around here). Simple math will get you to $/year.

The LC is a large, heavy vehicle and it certainly is not an economy car in terms of mileage.

Thanks for all the info. I know I would pay a lot more at the pump with a LC but Im trying to look at the overall picture. I WANTED one a long time ago but gave up on the idea because I thought it would bust my budget. But after looking at other vehicles, Im starting to wonder if it wouldnt be a good move for me. I am looking at replacing a very economical car with something bigger as a family vehicle. Ive looked at the minivans and other SUVs, but I have been fairly surprised at some complaints I have seen online. For example, the odyssey seems to have a lot of problems with the transmission. Seems to me for the same money I could get into a LC with high miles, but many more left on it, and hopefully avoid any unexpected repairs. It definitely fills all the other criteria I would want: safety, reliability, room etc... Has anyone else had any experience good or bad with repairs and maintenance?

I think the thing to do is to state how many miles you ACTUALLY would be doing per year. vs a more late model "economy car.

So to cut to the chase, I did this with my college student daughter. For the amount of actual miles she drove per year, it was actuallyCHEAPER for her to keep and operate an owned 1994 TLC vs a new (at the time) 2004 Honda Civic VP.

At 2.75 per gal (current prices) and 15,000 miles per year 15/37 mpg 1000/405 gal= $2,750 vs $1,114. But the yearly payment is $4,164 or so. So that is 2750 vs 5278.

Assuming some of the items I mentioned earlier have been addressed, most frequent maintenance item is brake pads on the 80 series. I recently sold my 80 series (I still have my 100 series) and I used TRD pads on it. I got about 35K on the front pads, but know of others who get only 10K or so on their (stock) pads.

In 20+ years of driving and owning LCs, I have never been stranded or broken down in one

against my wife wishes I went ahead and purchased a 2000 LC with 70k miles. i only drive about 10k a year and always wanted aLC but could never afford it. I bought it for 18k. As far as upkeep previous owner(friend) admitted he only got the oil chg and nothing else. What should I do to be proactive to make sure the car runs great. I am hoping to have have it along time. What is the avg mileage I can expect to get out of it. I want to make sure it lasts

Had a great '93 FJ-80, all stock but with larger A/T Bridgestones and racks/running boards removed, loved it, but the transmission died at 180K miles a few months ago. I bought it for 18K in '99 with 92K miles on it, so I guess I got my money's worth, but I expected more. Probably put at least $700 a year in pure maintenance and repairs (not counting oil change, more like seals, brakes, etc.). All in all an expensive vehicle to own, but so comfortable, burly and (I thought) reliable. When it died, I bought an '05 Tacoma access cab 4x4. The Tacoma is...OK. But no Landcruiser. Doesn't have the height, the mass, the class...I think that anybody who's on this forum probably knows what I mean. So after about 6 months of ownership I find myself looking at used LC's of similar price range ($25K+) thinking - "why didn't I do that?" I'm pretty sure I'll sell the Tacoma and do it, but I gotta wait a little bit...maybe a year or two. I guess however long it takes to justify and/or convince my wife that it makes sense. At least long enough that it doesn't look like I'm bipolar or something.

Landcruiser is more than a vehicle, it is a style. It does get under your skin.

Petersoncv,my TLC problem was worse than yours I got the buzzer all the time and it was driving me crazy. Check out this link http://autos.msn.com/research/vip/Reliability.aspx?year=1998&make=Toyota&model=Land%20Crui- ser The symptoms are different, some affect the electric mirrors as well. I am very upset because my LC is out of warranty and to me is a failure from Toyota. This is only corrected for free if you had the problem during your warranty period. I learned that everybody will have this problem sooner or later.

Some 1998 - 2002 models year Land cruiser vehicles may experience a continuous chime/alarm noise emitting from combination meter after the vehicle has been started or the key has been turned to the "run" position after the bulb check has been completed.

The Cowl Side Junction Block was upgraded from January 2001. For further improvement, the Wire Harness (Instrument Panel Integration) has been upgraded to correct above condition.

Look under the steering column left side panel just above the foot rest. The lot number may be partially covered with some wires.

Non Updated lots:####9#: 1999 Production####0#: 2000 Production

Updated lots:####1#

Example of lot number part that needs replacement 804005

The part retails higher for the 1998 to 2000 models. go to http://www.toyota-parts-dealer.com/parts.htm And enter the part number on steep 2 and select make.According to the bulletin this is a 2.5 hour job. The dealer will charge you a full MSRP price on the part.

TOYOTA Does not stand behind their screw ups.

ADVICEI will advice all in this forum if you have extended warranty to complain even if you don't have the problem right now because you will be paying for this expensive part sooner or later. Just tell them that you hear a buzzer and don't rest until they replace the defective part but first check the lot numbers on the part itself because you will look like a fool if you don't.

I would be interested in hearing from other owners - I think this is an unusual circumstance and that the Fj80 transmission should have a longer life than this....?Maybe as you bought it second hand it had actually more miles on it and/or the transmission had not been maintained on schedule?

I have 94 Land Cruiser with 93k and since the temp droppedit seems to start off in second gear first thing in the morning. If I put the shifter in "L" it starts off normal.Once I drive a mile or so it's fine. I had the trans fluid changed about 4k miles ago. I used the ECT button for about a month before the problem started, but the weather was still warm. ( may be unrelated )

If anyone has had this problem or any suggestions I would like to hear.